the dragon and the raven-第39部分

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present　and　will　follow　her　until　I　rescue　her　from　Sweyn；〃
Edmund　said。　〃Once　at　sea　and　on　her　way　south　she　may
well　despair　of　escape；　and　may　consent；　from　sheer
hopelessness；　to　become　his　wife。　Were　it　not　that　her　hut　is
so　strongly　guarded　at　night　I　would　try　to　approach　it；　but　as
this　cannot　be　done　I　must　take　my　chance　in　the　day。　To…morrow
I　will　dress　myself　in　your　garments　and　will　hide　in
the　wood　as　near　as　I　can　to　the　hut；　then　if　she　come　out　to
take　the　air　I　will　walk　boldly　out　and　speak　with　her。　I　see　no
other　way　of　doing　it。〃

On　the　following　morning；　attired　in　the　Dane's　clothes
and　helmet；　Edmund　took　his　place　near　the　edge　of　the
wood。　It　was　not　until　late　in　the　afternoon　that　Freda　made
her　appearance。　The　moment　was　propitious；　almost　all　the
men　were　at　work　on　the　ships　and　their　oars。　The　women
were　cooking　the　evening　meal；　and　there　was　no　one　near
Freda；　with　the　exception　of　the　two　armed　Danes　who　sat
on　the　trunk　of　a　fallen　tree　on　guard；　a　short　distance　away。
Edmund　issued　boldly　from　the　wood；　and；　waiting　till　Freda's
steps；　as　she　passed　backwards　and　fowards；　took　her　to　the
farthest　point　from　the　guards；　he　approached　her。

〃Freda；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　start　or　betray　surprise；　for　you
are　watched。〃

At　the　sound　of　his　voice　the　girl　had　paused　in　her
steps；　and　exclaimed　in　a　low　voice；　〃Edmund！〃　and　then；
obeying　his　words；　stood　motionless。

〃I　am　near　you；　dear；　and　will　watch　over　you。　I　have　not
strength　to　carry　you　away；　but　my　ship　will　be　at　the　mouth
of　the　river　as　you　pass　out。　Hang　a　white　cloth　from　the
window　of　your　cabin　in　the　poop　as　a　signal。　If　we　fail　to
rescue　you　there　we　will　follow　you　wheresoever　you　may　go；
even　to　Italy；　where　I　hear　you　are　bound。　So　keep　up　a　brave
heart。　I　have　seen　your　father；　and　he　has　sent　me　to　save
you。　See；　the　guards　are　approaching；　I　must　go。〃

Edmund　then　made　for　the　forest。　〃Stop　there！〃　the
guards　cried。　〃Who　are　you；　and　whence　do　you　come？〃

Edmund　made　no　answer；　but；　quickening　his　steps；
passed　among　the　trees；　and　was　soon　beyond　pursuit。　This；
indeed；　the　Danes　did　not　attempt。　They　had　been　surprised
at　seeing；　as　they　supposed；　one　of　their　party　addressing
Freda；　for　Sweyn's　orders　that　none　should　speak　with　her
were　precise。　He　had　given　this　command　because　he　feared；
that　by　the　promise　of　rich　rewards　she　might　tempt　some　of
his　followers　to　aid　her　escape。　They　had；　therefore；　risen　to
interrupt　the　conversation；　but　it　was　not　until　they
approached　that　it　struck　them　that　the　Northman's　face　was
unfamiliar　to　them；　and　that　he　was　not　one　of　their　party；
but　Edmund　had　entered　the　wood　before　they　recovered
from　their　surprise。　Their　shouts　to　him　to　stop　brought
Sweyn　to　the　spot。

〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。

〃A　strange　Northman　has　come　out　of　the　wood；　and
spoken　to　the　lady　Freda。〃

Sweyn　turned　to　his　captive。　She　stood　pale　and　trembling；
for　the　shock　of　the　surprise　had　been　a　severe　one。

〃Who　is　this　whom　you　have　spoken　to？〃　he　asked。　Freda
did　not　answer。

〃I　insist　upon　knowing；〃　Sweyn　exclaimed　angrily。

Freda　recovered　herself　with　an　effort；　and；　raising　her
head；　said；　〃Your　insistence　has　small　effect　with　me；　as　you
know；　Jarl　Sweyn；　but　as　there　is　no　reason　for　concealment
I　will　tell　you。　He　is　a　messenger　whom　my　dear　father　has
sent　to　me　to　tell　me　that　some　day　he　hopes　to　rescue　me
from　your　hands。〃

Sweyn　laughed　loudly。

〃He　might　have　saved　himself　the　trouble；〃　he　said。　〃Your
good　father　lies　wounded　near　Paris；　and　by　the　time　he　is
able　to　set　out　to　your　rescue　we　shall　be　with　Hasting　on　the
sunny　waters　of　Italy；　and　long　ere　that　you　will；　I　hope；　have
abandoned　your　obstinate　disposition；　and　consented　to　be
my　wife。〃

Freda　did　not　answer　at　once。　Now　that　there　was　a
hope　of　rescue；　however　distant；　she　thought　it　might　be　as
well　to　give　Sweyn　some　faint　hope　that　in　time　she　might
yield　to　his　wishes。　Then　she　said：

〃I　have　told　you　often；　jarl；　that　I　will　never　be　your　wife；
and　I　do　not　think　that　I　shall　ever　change　my　mind。　It　may
be　that　the　sunny　skies　you　speak　of　may　work　a　wonderful
change　in　me；　but　that　remains　to　be　seen。〃　Sweyn　retired
well　satisfied。　Her　words　were　less　defiant　than　any　she　had
hitherto　addressed　to　him。　As　to　the　message　of　her　father；
who　could　know　nothing　of　his　intention　to　sail　to　the
Mediterranean；　he　thought　no　further　of　it。

Three　days　later　the　galleys　were　launched；　and　after　a
day　spent　in　putting　everything　in　its　place　they　started　on
their　way　down　the　river。　They　rowed　many　miles；　and　at
night　moored　by　the　bank。　After　darkness　had　fallen　a　small
boat　rowed　at　full　speed　past　them。　It　paid　no　attention　to
the　summons　to　stop；　enforced　though　it　was　by　several　arrows；
but　continued　its　way　down　the　river；　and　was　soon　lost
in　the　darkness。　Sweyn　was　much　displeased。　As　they　rowed
down　they　had　carefully　destroyed　every　boat　they　found　on
the　river；　in　order　that　the　news　of　their　coming　might　not
precede　them。

〃The　boat　must　have　been　hauled　up　and　hidden；〃　he
said；　〃we　might　as　well　have　stopped　and　landed　at　some　of
the　villages　and　replenished　our　larder。　Now　we　shall　find
the　small　places　all　deserted；　and　the　cattle　driven　away　from
the　river。　It　is　an　unfortunate　mischance。〃

As　the　Northmen　anticipated　they　found　the　villages
they　passed　the　next　day　entirely　deserted　by　their　inhabitants；
and　not　a　head　of　cattle　was　to　be　seen　grazing　near　the
banks。　In　the　afternoon　they　came　to　Liege。　The　gates　were
shut；　and　the　walls　bristled　with　spears。　The　galleys　passed
without　a　stay。　Sweyn　had　other　objects　in　view。　Any　booty
that　might　be　obtained　without　severe　fighting　he　would　have
been　glad　enough　to　gather　in；　but　with　a　long　sea…voyage
before　him　he　cared　not　to　burden　his　galleys；　and　his　principal
desire　was　to　obtain　a　sufficient　supply　of　provisions　for
the　voyage。　For　several　days　the　galleys　proceeded　down　the
river。　The　villages　were　all　deserted；　and　the　towns　prepared
for　defence。

When　he　arrived　within　a　day's　journey　of　the　sea　he
was　forced　to　halt。　Half　the　crews　were　left　in　charge　of　the
ships；　and　with　the　others　he　led　a　foray　far　inland；　and　after
some　sharp　fighting　with　the　natives　succeeded　in　driving
down　a　number　of　cattle　to　the　ships　and　in　bringing　in　a
store　of　flour。

Edmund　had　kept　ahead　of　the　galleys；　stopping　at　every　town
and　village　and　warning　the　people　of　the　approach　of　the
marauders。　He　reached　the　mouth　of　the　river　two
days　before　them；　but　to　his　deep　disappointment　saw　that
the　Dragon　had　not　arrived　at　the　rendezvous。　On　the　following
afternoon；　however；　a　distant　sail　was　seen；　and　as　it
approached　Edmund　and　his　followers　gave　a　shout　of　joy　as
they　recognized　the　Dragon；　which　was　using　her　oars　as　well
as　sails　and　was　approaching　at　full　speed。　Edmund　leaped
into　the　boat　and　rowed　to　meet　them；　and　a　shout　of　welcome
arose　from　the　Dragon　as　the　crew　recognized　their
commander。

〃Are　we　in　time？〃　Egbert　shouted。

〃Just　in　time；〃　Edmund　replied。　〃They　will　be　here　to…morrow。〃
Edmund　was　soon　on　board；　and　was　astonished　at　seeing　Siegbert
standing　by　the　side　of　his　kinsman。

〃What　is　the　news　of　Freda？〃　the　jarl　asked　eagerly。

〃She　is　well　and　keeps　up　a　brave　heart；〃　Edmund　replied。　〃She
has　sworn　to　kill　herself　if　Sweyn　attempts　to　make　her　his　wife
by　violence。　I　have　spoken　to　her　and　told　her　that　rescue
will　come。　But　how　is　it　that　you　are　here？〃

〃After　you　had　left　us　your　good　kinsman　Egbert　suggested
to　me　that　I　should　take　passage　in　the　Dragon。　In　the
first　place　I　should　the　sooner　see　my　daughter；　and　in　the
next；　it　would　be　perilous　work；　after　the　Danish　army　had
left；　for　a　small　party　of　us　to　traverse　France。〃

〃I　would　I　had　thought　of　it；〃　Edmund　said；　〃but　my
mind　was　so　disturbed　with　the　thought　of　Freda's　peril　that
it　had　no　room　for　other　matters。　And　how　fares　it　with
you？〃

〃Bravely；〃　the　Northman　replied。　〃As　soon　as　I　sniffed
the　salt　air　of　the　sea　my　strength　seemed　to　return　to　me。
My　wound　is　well…nigh　healed；　but　the　joint　has　stiffened；
and　my　leg　will　be　stiff　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　But　that
matters　little。　And　now　tell　me　all　your　adventures。　We　have
heard　from　the　messenger　you　sent　how　shrewdly　you　hunted
out　Sweyn's　hiding…place。〃





CHAPTER　XVII：　A　LONG　CHASE



The　following　morning　the　weather　was　still　and　dull。
Not　a　breath　of　wind　ruffled　the　surface　of　the　river。

〃This　is　unfortunate；〃　Edmund　said　to　his　companion。
〃Sweyn's　galleys　will　row　faster　than　we　can　go　with　oars
alone；　and　though　they　may　not　know　the　Dragon　they　will　be
sure　that　she　is　not　one　of　their　own　ships。　We　must　hope　that
they　may　attack　us。〃

The　day　passed　on　without　a　sight　of　the　galleys；　but
late　in　the　afternoon　they　were　seen　in　the　distance。　The
Dragon　was　moored　near　the　middle　of　the　rivet。　Her　oars
were　stowed　away；　and　the　crews　ordered　to　keep　below　the
bulwarks；　in　hopes　that　the　Danes；　seeing　but　few　men　about
and　taking　her　for　an　easy　prize；　might　attack　her。　When
they　approached　within　half　a　mile　the　Danish　galleys
suddenly　ceased　rowing。

〃What　is　that　strange…looking　vessel？〃　Sweyn　asked　the
Northmen　standing　round　him。

〃I　know　her；〃　one　of　them　said；　〃for　I　have　twice　seen
her　before　to　my　cost。　The　first　time　she　chased　us　hotly　at
the　mouth　of　the　Thames；　destroying　several　of　the　vessels
with　which　we　were　sailing　in　convoy。　The　next　time　was　in
the　battle　where　King　Alfred　defeated　us　last　year；　nearly　in
the　same　water。　She　is　a　Saxon　ship；　wondrous　fast　and
well…handled。　She　did　more　damage　in　the　battle　than　any
four　of　her　consorts。〃

〃Were　it　not　that　I　have　other　game　in　view；〃　Sweyn　said；
〃we　would　fight　her；　for　we　are　two　to　one　and　strongly
manned；　and　the　Saxon　can　scarce　carry　more　men　than　one
of　our　galleys；　but　she　is　not　likely　to　be　worth　the　lives　she
would　cost　us　to　capture　her；　therefore　we　will　e'en　let　her
alone；　which　will　be　easy　enough；　for　see　that　bank　of　sea…fog
rolling　up　the　river；　another　ten　minutes　and　we　shall　not　see
across　the　deck。　Give　order